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The Great Gatsby is one of the best novels in the history of English and American literature. The story started with a man who named Nick Carraway. He was served as this novel’s narrator. When he came to New York, he lived in a small house on Long Island next door to the rich and powerful people Jay Gatsby, who dreamed to regain the heroine Daisy’s love. Even though Daisy was married to the wealthy Tom, but Gatsby still loved Daisy, so he struggled to be a millionaire. A few years later, Gatsby has accumulated a great amount of wealth illegally, he asked Nick to arrange a reunion between himself and Daisy, and then Gatsby and Daisy began a new love affair again. Gatsby thought that his dream would come true. Actually, Daisy was just interested in the excitement, wealth and enjoyment. When Daisy’s husband Tom discovered the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy, Daisy could not give up her flashy life. At last, Gatsby was dead and his dream was disillusioned.
The novel is a miniature of Fitzgerald’s real life, and he once got drunk in a luxury and dissipation life for a period, so Fitzgerald reappeared the “roaring twenties” (Li Jihong, 2013: 4) as natural as though it was living. When the people want to perceive the American dream in the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby is the indispensable medium. This novel is so great, because it has defined an era independently.
1920s is not only the golden years for the author of The Great Gatsby; it’s also the glorious time for American. When World War I ended, the American became the wealthiest country in the world and the origin of modern consumerism. The American economy was flourishing as never before, so the people indulged in the gorgeous material universe. Their spiritual world became bland. People’s dream could not stand a fight which was lashed by the flashy social reality. Fitzgerald said “That is a miraculous era and an era full of mockery.” (Fitzgerald, 1931) And he called this era the “Jazz Age”. Due to the enthrallment of substance, the people indulged in creature comforts, they lost their traditional values, gave up their faith, honor, even lost themselves. They immersed in their wealthy world, meanwhile, they felt blank and numb. At this time, The Great Gatsby turned out, and it rang the alarm of the Jazz Age.
2. Literature Review
In the history of American literature, the topic “American dream” appeared repeatedly. The main research area of the American dream focused on the disillusionment of the American dream, in order to analyze the American society and the social problem. According to scholar Miao Yongming, she made an analysis on the American society in 1920s related to The Great Gatsby. What’s more, Xiao Dongbo and Tang Jun focused on the discussion of the American dream and the cause of disillusionment. They were outstanding researches about The Great Gatsby, but most of them were restricted to the disillusionment of the American dream and social essence of American, the in-depth research on the rebirth of the American dream is less. So this paper is not only analyzes the disillusionment of the American dream based on the text content, background of creation and references, but also explore the road of rebirth to the American dream on the basis of relevant researches, to uncover more positive and far-reaching social significance of The Great Gatsby.
3. The American Dream and The Great Gatsby
3.1 Introduction to the American Dream
American dream is a term proposed by James Truslow Adams in 1931, the definition of the American dream is “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. (Adams, 1931)
It is a national ethos of American; it is a characteristic product of American economy. It believes that you can achieve a better life after a hard struggle. In American dream, upper class, special social identity is unimportant; people can earn respect through hard working, economic success, creativity and resolution. So everyone has an opportunity to realize the American dream. American dream is not a dream to be wealthy; it is also a faith to have an equal social position in the society and a happy life.